Improvement in firemen s ladders



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N.PTE.*.5 MTQUTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D4 C.

A. W.BRoWN. FIREMENS LAUDER. No. 175,922. Patented April-11,1876.

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A. W'. BROWN. FIREMENS LADDER.

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Patented Api-i111, 1876;

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UNITED STATES PATENT DFF-rea ALVAH W. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

`IMPROVEMENT IN FIREMES LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,922, dated April 11, 1876; application tiled January 21, 1816.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAH W. BROWN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain Improvement in Firemens Ladders, of which the following is a specification:

.Ihe object of my invention is the construction of a portable iiremans ladder, which shall be self supporting, which may be elevated to any desired height, and which shall be more eicient and capable of sustaining strains .than any self-supporting ladder at present 1n use.

rlChe principal feature of my improvement in remens ladders is the method,.hereafter described, of applying the principle of the truss to them. By this application all sheeringstrains are avoided. The weight to be sustained is borne by longitudinal resistances, there being a longitudinal strain of tension on each of the rods which connectA the tops of the trusses of the several sections of the ladder, and longitudinal strains of compression on the longitudinal side pieces of the sections.

The following is a description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The several iignres of the accompanying drawings represent various views and parts of the ladder, viz: Figure lis a sideview of the truck B, with thevladder A packed on it. G is the gearing, which moves the reels F F', (shown in Fig. 2,) for elevating the ladder A. G F are wireropes, which wind on these reels. D C E are the trusses on one side of the lower section of the ladder A. yN OK, I L K, and H J K are trusses on three other sections'oi' the ladder A. C O are the tie-rods which connect the tops of the several trusses D C E, N O K, I L K, and H J K when the ladder A is extended. M is one of the extension-beams P is a post which, when reversed, is made to support the end of this extension-beam M when it is drawn out. The object of this extension-beam M is sides of this beam R it is designed to have two other extension-beams, M', similar to the extension-beam M, just described, which will draw out laterally on eachside of the truck' B, thus increasing the width or' its base. T is one wheel of a small truck, represented by Fig. 5, which will `be described hereafter.

Fig. 2 shows the truck B, with the ladder A packed on it, as seen from above. N O K, l L K,H J K,N O K', I LiK, and H J K are the trusses on three sections of the ladder A. .T and T are the wheels of a small truck, previously mentioned, vand described hereafter. this smalltruck is fastened to the main ladder-truck B. Fand FAl are Athe reels,ret`erred to above, on which wind the ropes G D, C' D', for elevating the ladder A.

Fig. 3 isalongitudinalsection through the middle of the truck B, and sections and trusses N O K, I L `K,H J K packed on it. a, b, and c are iron shoes fitted on the lowerends of the longitudinal side pieces HK, b K, c K of the several sections ofthe ladder A. These shoes will be described hereafter. 'I is a section of the small truckalread y mentioned, and shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the middle of the `truckB and ladderiA, when the latter is elevated. G is the axleon which the lower section D (IE of the ladder A turns. a, b, and c are the iron.` shoes `previously mentioned,on the lower endsof the longitudinal side pieces N I, I- K, D N of theladder A. C O, O L are the tie-rods, `which connect the tops of the trusses D OE, N O K, H J K of` the ladder A. `T is a wheel of the small truck, already mentioned, whose position in front of the main ladder-truck B will be explained hereafter.

Fig. 5 shows this small truck. It is simply necessary to say of it that by turning the crank W the table Z may be elevated or depressed.

Fig. 6 shows, on a larger scale, the top of one of the truss-posts, which appear in Fig. 4 as Y Y Y. the ends e and e' of the rods,.which appear in Fig. 4 as C O, O L, tit together, and also the manner in which they are secured by the springs d and d on the pin fu.

V is a tongue, by means of which It indicates the manner in which 2. A irs/5,922

Fig. 7 shows the inner face of one of the shoes, which appear in Fig. 4 as a, b, and c. The slot 19 receives the ltop ring h h', Fig. 2, of the section ofthe ladder A next below it and forms the joint on which the section of the ladder A to which it belongs plays on the section next below it. g is a grapple'which secures thc sections from slipping apart, as hereafter explained. j

Fig. 8 shows two sides of one of the rods, which appear in Fig. 4 as 0 0, 0 L.

The following will more fully explain the construction of the ladder A and truck B, and the manner in which they would be used, as combined in my improvement: Suppose the ladder A to be packed upon the truck B; then to elevate the ladder A proceed thus, viz:

Transfer the small ktruck T from its position in the rear of the main ladder-truck B to a position in front of the latter. Then draw out together all the sections I L'K, H J K of the ladder A, which are packed on the front of the truck B, resting the forward end of the under one-i'. c., I LK-on the table Z of the small truck T.

When the slots, ofv which 0 is one, of the v shoes, of which b is one, are vertically over section I L K plays on the section N O K next below it. Now adjust the rods, of which O L, Fig. 4, is one, over the pins, of which lvis one, raising or lowering, if it be necessary for this purpose, the front end of the section I L K, by turning the crank W of the small truck T, and proceed in the same manner w'ith the remaining sections ofthe ladder A.

IVhen the ladder A has been fully extend- 'ed in this way, elevate it by the gearing G. It will be sustained in its elevated position by the ratchet on this gearing. Next draw out in front of the truck B the extensionbeams M and M', Fig. 2, till the point w comes to about w', and allow the posts, of which P is one, to drop firmly onto the ground. Secure these posts by turning the screws S and S', Fig. 2,- which cause the jaws X and Y, X' and Y', Fig. 2, to close upon them. f

In the same manner draw out the transverse extension-beams on the side of the beam R, and the ladder is ready for use.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A section of a compound ladder provided on each side, atv or near its middle, with a king-post and withftruss-rods, the whole being constructed, arran ged, and applied substantially as shown at Y, D, C, and E, for the purposes set forth.

2. A self-supporting ladder, consisting of a truck, B, and two or more sectional ladders, each of which is trussed in the manner substantially as described-that is to say, by means of a king-post at each side, such as that shown at Y, and truss-rods, constructed, arranged, and applied like those shown at D, C, and E, for the purpose set forth.

3. The self-supporting sectional trussed ladder A, in combination with the main laddertruck B and small truck T.

4. In combination with a section of a compound ladder, a king-post, provided with a pin or stud, c, arranged as described, for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with a ladder, consisting of two or more independent sections, each of which is trussed on each side by means of a king-post and truss-rods, twg or more tierods, arranged substantially as shown at C O and O L, for the purpose set forth.

6. A tie-rod, G O, constructed substantially as shown, for the purpose set forth.

7 A tie-rod, O L, constructed substantially as shown, for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with a ladder, composed of two or more sections, one or more pairs of shoes a b c, each being provided with a grapple g, and applied in the manner substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In combination with a ladder, consisting of two or more independent sections, the side beams of each of which is trussed by means of a king-post arranged at or near its center, and by truss rods constructed like those shown at D G E, and said sections connected together by tie-rods arranged like those shown at G 0 and O L, a truck-frame, B, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination of the rods C O, O L, trusses D O E, N O K,I L K, and sections D N, N I, I K of ladder A with main laddertruck B and small truck T.

11. The springs d and d', as applied to and in combination with the pins r, t, and c and rods C O, 0 L.

12. The shoe G', as applied to and in combination with the several sections D N, N I, I K of the ladder A.

13. An auxiliary truck, provided, with an adjustable table, Z, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In combination with the truck-frame of a self-supporting ladder, two extension slidebeams, M, arranged to slide lengthwise of the frame, each having a slotted pedestal adjustably secured thereto by means of a screwbolt and Wrench-nut, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

1.5. In combination with the truck-frame of a self-supporting ladder, two laterally-sliding beams, M', arranged to slide transversely to the length of the truck, each having a slotted pedestal adjustably secured thereto by means of a screw-bolt and wrench-nut, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. The combination, with the main-truck frame of a self-supporting ladder, of two lon- Y of a trussed ladder, the inner end of which gtudinally adjustable extension-beams, M, is pivoted to the main-truck frame, as shown and two laterally-adjustable beams, M', each at G, substantially as set forth.

having an adjustable pedestal secured there- ALVAH W. BROWN. to, as and for the purposes set forth. Witnesses:

17. The combination of the drums F F' and CHARLES G. COE,

ropes or Wires C F, C F with the king-post lLOUIS W. FROST. 

